NY Town Buys Land to Keep Jews Out

In an interview with the Times Herald-Record, Alex Jamieson, supervisor of the Town of Chester, NY, has said that the town is buying up available property in order to prevent an influx of Hasidic Jews. Jamieson told the newspaper that residents fear that the Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel will expand into their town.

“People realize what the possibilities are. The fear of KJ expanding into Chester is scaring people half to death,” Jamieson said.

Earlier this year, Jamieson said at a Town Board meeting that it will look into switching to a ward system for electing Town Board members. “The idea is to keep the Hasidic out so that they can’t control the Town Board,” Jamieson explained.

Regarding the land purchases, Jamieson said, “Well, if we purchase the property, that’s going to keep them out.”